UAE Denies Netanyahu Made Secret Wartime Visit During Iran War

Iran reacted to claims of Gulf cooperation with Israel, warning that countries working against Tehran would be ‘held to account.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Jerusalem, Israel, on March 19, 2026. Ronen Zvulun/Pool/Reuters

The United Arab Emirates has denied Israeli claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “secretly visited” Abu Dhabi during the Iran war, despite Israel saying the trip produced a “historic breakthrough” in relations between the two countries.

In a May 13 post on X, Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli leader met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during “Operation Roaring Lion,” the joint U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iran launched in late February.